Cat-killer suspect arrested in S.F.

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A man suspected of killing two cats by ripping their carrier away from their owner and throwing it into San Francisco Bay was arrested Friday afternoon, authorities said.

Eric Leroy Patterson, 33, tried to run from authorities as soon as he heard they were Animal Care and Control officers, said animal control Capt. Vicky Guldbech.

Officers spotted him near Sacramento and Drumm streets on Friday afternoon after days of patrolling the Embarcadero area for him, Guldbech said. They had been searching for him since the Nov. 25 attack when witnesses said he approached a homeless woman and grabbed all her belongings – including the carrier that held her two cats.

Without provocation, witnesses said, Patterson threw the cats into the bay. The cats had died by the time rescuers got to the carrier.

Officers obtained surveillance video of the suspect soon after the incident. Over the course of the investigation, they put a name to the face and learned that he frequented the area.

“We’ve been combing the neighborhood for days, walking the streets for hours and hours,” Guldbech said. “We knew he was in the area so we just stayed in the area night after night, in groups and in plainclothes, just walking and walking.”

Officers found a mug shot connected to Patterson for an assault and battery charge in Oregon. Two witnesses to the attack were shown the mug shot and identified Patterson as the suspect, Guldbech said.

They released the mug shot to the public Friday. A few hours later, Guldbech was returning to the area when she got a called from Officer Denise BonGiovanni.

“I think he’s standing right in front of me,” she had said.

They called for assistance from the police, and when they approached him, he calmly got on his knees. He told officers his name was Peter, despite the sign he wore around his neck that read “Eric Leroy Patterson,” Guldbech said.

He seemed to be cooperating – until he heard BonGiovanni and Guldbech were from Animal Care and Control.

“He raised his arm up and just took off running into the street,” Guldbech said.

Several plainclothes officers were able to stop him before he got too far and they were able to take him into custody – though it was a struggle.

“He’s feral,” Guldbech said. “He’s a violent person.”

Officers transported Patterson to San Francisco General Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, Guldbech said. When he is cleared, Guldbech said he will be booked into county jail on suspicion of two felony counts of animal cruelty.